REGINA – Karly Simpson’s memories of a ‘close call’ as she left Regina General Hospital began flooding back this week.
“I wasn’t going to be running away, I wasn’t going to be fighting back,” she said, recalling the night a few years ago. “With four people (approaching), I would have never won.”
Her co-worker, Jennifer LeGard, wasn’t so lucky.
Hospital staff tell us they’ve long been looking over their shoulders in the neighbourhood surrounding the General as they walk to vehicles parked several blocks away.
“They’re coming and going at all hours so we need to have a safe option.”
Asked how often she thinks staff are followed or heckled, Simpson said, “A lot more often than I think people are aware of.”
The parking battle has been an issue raised in the past. A parking structure was on the table at one point, but a $30-million price tag proved too costly.
Numbers show fewer than half the daily staff members are able to park on site at Regina’s two hospitals.
In the meantime, the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (RQHR) is trying to make the nightly walk to your vehicle a little safer.
“In terms of trying to meet the demand for walking people out, if we can do that, we certainly should be,” said Barry Stricker, RQHR parking and security director. “If there are alternatives to parking on the street, we’d encourage people to take those.”
Both the General and Pasqua hospitals offer a ‘safe walk’ service, where security personnel escort employees to their vehicles. There is also a park-and-ride available with two pick up locations – however, it only operates between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Ward 3 councillor Shawn Fraser believes the problem isn’t parking at all – it’s a social issue.
“Poverty is one of them. Homelessness is another,” Fraser told Global News. “There are lots of things we could do in terms of neighbourhood design, making sure people don’t have to walk in dark places, that sort of thing.”
Fraser said money would be better spent trying to improve those community services, as well as public transit, given that hospital staff at least have some options.
Patients and their families don’t.
“They’re coming at all hours so we need to have a safe option for everyone to come and go in a safe manner,” Simpson said.
We want to know what you think: How would you improve parking and safety around Regina’s hospitals?
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